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Javier's SBS Wonderland

Take the red pill and see how far down the rabbit hole goes...

How to create an "Offer Remote Assistance" shortcut

One of the features I like most about Windows XP (and SBS 2003) is Remote Assistance. In particular, I love being able to offer unsolicited remote assistance to my users (i.e. without them initiating the RA session, this way the user only has to click “ok” on the RA popup). This translates on helping users faster, not to mention that you can enjoy margaritas from the confort of your home while you help users. ow that I think about it... those “Earn $$$ while sitting in front of your PC at home” scams on the internet might be true after all.

Anyway, going back to the point... since I use this feature a lot and its somewhat hidden on XP (not so much in SBS) I thought it would be a good idea to create a link in my desktop (and/or the server desktop) to offer RA to users in distress. To do this, simply create a shortcut that points to:

%windir%\explorer.exe "hcp://CN=Microsoft%20Corporation,L=Redmond,S=Washington,C=US/Remote%20Assistance/Escalation/Unsolicited/Unsolicitedrcui.htm"

Now, I only have to connect to the site, double click there and type the address (talk about being lazy!). :-)

Happy RA-ing!

 

 

Posted: Nov 13 2004, 01:55 PM by Javier | with 19 comment(s)
Filed under:

Comments

Javier said:

VERY useful, I always think it would be nice to use this tool as I have done so in the past to help users. But, I can never find the application while I'm on the phone with a user because it is so hidden.
Thx for the help
# November 30, 2004 2:47 PM

Javier said:

I Think there is a typo above. Explorer.exe should be Iexplore. For example:

"%ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore" hcp://CN=Microsoft%20Corporation,L=Redmond,S=Washington,C=US/Remote%20Assistance/Escalation/Unsolicited/Unsolicitedrcui.htm

In fact, just past the hcp in your IE browser:

hcp://CN=Microsoft%20Corporation,L=Redmond,S=Washington,C=US/Remote%20Assistance/Escalation/Unsolicited/Unsolicitedrcui.htm

Remember, you need port 3389/tcp open at your firewall. For reference, see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301527

# December 13, 2004 5:35 PM

Javier said:

Actually, both of them work. Explorer is really "Windows Explorer" while IExplore is "Internet Explorer" since both are the same thing (thanks to MS infinite wisdom) then both work.
# December 13, 2004 6:02 PM

Javier said:

The next logical step would be to make it autopopulate the computer name or tcp/ip address. Specifically,
I was thinking that when you go into Network Places and see all the computer names. You could right click
on the name and it would offer the option of remote assistance. This is turn would automatically start remote
assistance on the remote machine. This option is available in Windows Messenger when you want to offer assistance
to a buddy over the internet. Has anyone tried doing this for Network places?
# February 4, 2005 12:29 PM

Javier said:

I am interested in placing a shortcut on users' desktops so they can request remote assistance automatically without having to go through a bunch of technical questions. My users are generally foolish and this would truly be the only way to truly implement this. The shortcut you have provided above brings up the remote assistance for helping a user on a local area network. I would like it to open up some form of remote assitance that can work outside the LAN so that I can assist offsite workers. Please let me know if anyone could help me. Thanks.
# March 14, 2005 11:23 AM

TrackBack said:

^_^,Pretty Good!
# April 15, 2005 5:14 PM

Javier said:

rcimbly.exe -launchra

it only brings up the screen without having to go through the help menu.

it would be nice to have something that would just prompt for an email address to request help.
# May 6, 2005 4:10 PM

TrackBack said:

^_~,pretty good!csharpsseeoo
# May 18, 2005 9:47 PM

Javier said:

Any way to pass target PC name or IP as a parameter within the shortcut?
# May 30, 2005 10:23 PM

Javier said:

That Request Remote assistance shortcut should be %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\rcimlby.exe -LaunchRA
# June 8, 2005 2:28 PM

Javier said:

That's the "Request Remote assistance" thingy... I was talking about offering it without someone requesting it (which is really useful to help people out).
# June 8, 2005 2:36 PM

Javier said:

I have figured out how to fully automate remote assistance with a few workarounds, including a simple script that auto-populates the computer name field and clicks the 'Connect' button as well.

You can use Visual Basic Scripting to accomplish the work. Here's an example:

'DECLARING VARIABLES
Dim objShell
Dim WshShell
Dim vString

'INITIALIZE VARIABLE VALUES
set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
vString = "COMPUTERNAMEHERE"

'SENDS KEYSTROKES TO START PERSONNEL PROGRAM
objShell.SendKeys "^{ESC}"
WScript.Sleep 1000
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
WScript.Sleep 10000

objShell.SendKeys vString 'SEND THE VARIABLE VALUE, INCLUDING DATE
WScript.Sleep 500


WScript.Quit
# June 8, 2005 7:35 PM

Javier said:

In addition to the above, you have a shortcut in the Start-Menu that opens the 'Offer Remote Assistance' screen--should be 11th position upward from the Start button itself. You can adjust the delay time in the above script so it works faster too. The following website has some information about automating the remote computer's connection too--so the user doesn't have to accept a request:

http://www.anetforums.com/posts.aspx?ThreadIndex=3115

Good luck,

Todd Shillam
tshillam@comcast.net
# June 8, 2005 7:39 PM

Javier said:

This walked the menu but did not open the Remote Assistance. And how do I run this on someone's remote pc? LOL!
Cool, but useless...
---------------------
'DECLARING VARIABLES
Dim objShell
Dim WshShell
Dim vString

'INITIALIZE VARIABLE VALUES
set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
vString = "COMPUTERNAMEHERE"

'SENDS KEYSTROKES TO START PERSONNEL PROGRAM
objShell.SendKeys "^{ESC}"
WScript.Sleep 1000
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{UP}"
WScript.Sleep 500
objShell.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
WScript.Sleep 10000

objShell.SendKeys vString 'SEND THE VARIABLE VALUE, INCLUDING DATE
WScript.Sleep 500


WScript.Quit
---------------------
# June 23, 2005 12:13 PM

TrackBack said:

How to create an
# July 22, 2005 12:27 AM

TrackBack said:

How to create an
# August 2, 2005 7:57 PM

Javier said:

Another way of creating this shortcut is just right click on your desktop and go to "New" --> "Shortcut". Enter "hcp://CN=Microsoft%20Corporation,L=Redmond,S=Washington,C=US/Remote%20Assistance/Escalation/Unsolicited/Unsolicitedrcui.htm" (without qoutes "") into the location of the item box and hit next. Insert a name and finish it. If needed go to \WINDOWS\system32 and choose rcimlby.exe if you want the typical remote assistance icon. Just thought i'd add another way to do this.
# September 3, 2005 9:09 PM

Javier said:

i have the ports switched on some of my machines for remote desktop...how can i get around this and a router firewall to set up remote assistance for remote clients
# November 23, 2005 5:14 PM

» RA: Pass Workstation and Username Parameters to Offer Remote Assistance said:

PingBack from http://blog.netnerds.net/2006/12/ra-pass-workstation-and-username-parameters-to-offer-remote-assistance/

# December 13, 2006 2:52 PM
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